Tax Collector working to improve service offerings for Pinellas County residents

CLEARWATER, FLORIDA, FEBRUARY 8, 2017 – The Pinellas County Tax Collector’s office shares the County’s long-term vision of providing one-stop shops for the residents of Pinellas County. “Through research, we have learned that what’s most important to residents in regards to the service we provide is that they can complete their transactions on their first interaction with us and promptly,” said Charles W. Thomas, Pinellas County Tax Collector. “We also understand that more and more people want service choices, especially online options.”

“Using Google Analytics, we realized that more than 30 percent of customers visiting our website are doing so from mobile devices,” said Mr. Thomas. “To help residents get the information they need, no matter where they access it from, our office recently launched a new mobile-friendly website that provides easy access to our vast array of online services. Why wait in our office when you can complete most transactions from the comfort of your home?”

In addition to creating a one-stop shop for online services, the Tax Collector’s office is consolidating its resources in the north part of the county to create a Supercenter on U.S. 19 in Clearwater. “Often, residents visit our offices and learn that they need to pay an outstanding ticket at the Clerk of the Court before we can renew their registration,” said Mr. Thomas. “This causes unneeded stress on customers because one trip turns into three, which is inconvenient for them and it also increases wait times for other residents.”

The Supercenter will be located at 29399 US Highway 19 North, Clearwater, FL 33761, which is in the same location as a Property Appraiser’s office where residents can sign up for homestead exemptions and across the street from a Clerk of the Court’s office where customers can clear outstanding tickets.

The first step of the transition was relocating the Tax Collector’s call center to the Supercenter location in October of 2016, which provides the ability to cross-train team members so they can provide better customer service on the phone and in person. Also, the office is developing a driving range near the Supercenter that is scheduled to open at the end of 2017. It will provide a controlled environment to conduct road tests and will allow for more road tests, which will reduce the multiple-week wait times residents now experience.

The Tax Collector’s office will close its Tarpon Springs satellite branch in May to allow for this Supercenter expansion while at the same time reducing operating costs. All team members at the Tarpon Springs office will move to the Supercenter to assist with the expansion and new road range facility.

“Our ultimate goal, as it has always been, is to provide the best customer service possible to the residents of Pinellas County,” said Mr. Thomas. “Based on customer feedback, we believe providing one-stop shops, whether online, on the phone, or in person, is the solution.”

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ABOUT THE PINELLAS COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR’S OFFICE: The Pinellas County Tax Collector’s Office is a constitutionally elected office. Responsibilities include collecting and distributing state and local taxes and providing driver license and motor vehicle registration services to Pinellas County residents. The Office received the 2013 Governor’s Sterling Award and the 2016 Governor’s Sterling Sustained Excellence Award for performance excellence. For more information visit www.taxcollect.com/news.